Strange and Beautiful
by Au revoir Amour
Summary: After the Bachelor Auction, things get steamy between Zane and Riley. Will they be able to put their relationship back together after so many setbacks? Fluff and smut... can there be a better combination?    Rated M for a reason! Beta'd by BugFan4Ever.


_Summary: After the Bachelor Auction, things get steamy between Zane and Riley. Will they be able to put their relationship back together after so many setbacks? Fluff and smut... can there be a better combination?_

_A/N: This story took on a life of its own and became a monster. It contains the single longest sex scene I have ever written, and they talk a lot during it. It took _days_ to complete, mostly because I had to stop writing every time someone entered the kitchen, where I prefer to do my writing for whatever reason. Because I seriously don't want my mom to know I write this stuff. I think I'd die of embarrassment. _

**Spoiler Warning**_: This follows events directly after "Still Fighting It Part 2" and through part of "Purple Pills Part 1", so there are spoilers for both of those episodes, and there may be indirect allusions to previous episodes featuring both Riley and Zane, too. _

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_**Strange and Beautiful**_

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Life had been good since the Bachelor Auction.

The date he had bought Zane for had gone exactly as Riley had meticulously planned it. They ate a romantic picnic dinner for two on the floor of his basement while his folks were away, an ordered-in pizza and pasta bowls for Pizza Hut, with salad on the side as a request from his health-wise date. The blanket spread over the concrete for them to sit on was clichéd check-plaid, and he'd even dug out an old basket to bring down the plates, cutlery and an assortment of candles.

After they ate, Riley put on a horror movie in the living room that ended with Zane leaning up against his side, contently laughing at the bad special effects and cheesy dialogue. While initially the scary movie was supposed to frighten Zane into his arms, the easy laughter and banter over the awful choice of film was just as good, if not better, than the comforting Riley had planned.

And just as he had planned, the night pulled to a close with a soft kiss in the foyer, just a light brushing of lips, a promise for more.

"I'm sorry for being such a jerk lately," Riley said quietly, his near-whisper breaking the silence of the house since the credits had rolled. "Do you think maybe... you want to forgive me and give me another chance?"

Zane had never been able to resist Riley when he gave him that look, his blue eyes looking at him sadly, so delicately framed in long, dark lashes. It was clichéd and lame and awful of him to think, but Riley often reminded him of an unruly puppy, with those big eyes and that lopsided smile after he'd just chewed up someone's best pair of shoes. How could he not forgive his adorable Fido, when he looked at him with those eyes?

"I forgive you," Zane sighed, grinning when Riley happily flung his long arms around the smaller teenager in a hug so strong, he was nearly lifted off the floor from the momentum.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you," Riley mumbled almost incoherently into his shoulder. He was nearly squeezing the life out of Zane because his arms were so tight around his torso. "You won't regret it, I swear."

"Things will be different this time, right?"

He felt the need to ask the question, because the last time had been hurt so badly. Being dropped like a sack of potatoes because of something as trivial as _football_ and _reputation_ had not only been a blow to his ego, but a punch to his heart as well. After a summer filled with stolen kisses and sneaking away to get time together, the school year had so far been horribly inadequate.

"Yeah. Absolutely," Riley said with confidence, releasing Zane from the near-painful hug to grasp him by the shoulders, looking down into his eyes with conviction. "I promise, Zane."

And Zane believed him. It was hard not to, when he looked so determined and honest, with those big puppy-dog blue eyes. There was a part of him niggling with doubt, sure that Riley would fall into old patterns as soon as the weekend was over, but once look at Riley's sincere smile was enough for him to shove aside that little part of him and focus on what his heart actually _wanted_, for once. He wanted Riley, and he was going to fight for what he wanted.

He closed the gap between them, pressing his lips to Riley's once more. Riley responded enthusiastically, the hands still resting on his shoulders sliding upwards into his hair, tangling in the styled locks and pulling Zane impossibly closer.

Teeth clashed and noses rubbed awkwardly for a moment as they figured out the angle, the kiss messy and inexperienced because Riley was leading. Zane knew Riley didn't have all that much experience with, well, _anything_— he'd already confessed to the debacle with his best friend Peter and his attempts to be straight with both Anya and Fiona, as well as a brief thing with some guy at camp, but that was really the extent of his romantic relationships. There was something exciting about being someone's first _serious_ relationship, and Zane's heart raced as he let Riley be in control of the passionate kiss.

Fumbling at each other for something to hold onto, the pair made their way back to the living room and onto the worn family couch. Riley immediately pulled Zane onto him, so that he was sitting in the quarterback's lap. Zane didn't mind one bit, the thrill of the moment overweighing his usual dislike of being manhandled. When Riley's large, warm hands wandered from their place in his hair to skim down his sides and grab hold of his hips, Zane didn't bat an eye.

Zane groaned happily when one of those large hands tentatively made its way south to rest on the gentle curve of his ass, kissing his boyfriend even more enthusiastically than before as he ran his hands down Riley's hard chest. This was technically further than they'd gone over the summer, pushing the boundaries of intimacy that Riley had seemed reluctant to break. His grappling with the idea of being with another guy— _especially_ sexually— held their relationship back in the puppy love stage, the innocence of stolen kisses at a park, or on the roof of a construction site at night.

Being sexually frustrated was totally not Zane's style, but he _was_ a teenage boy. And raging hormones did account for something, after all. It felt great for him to finally have more freedom— Riley's mother was at some kind of convention Riley had said, so they had the house all to themselves.

His hands hesitantly pulled up the hem of Riley's shirt so his fingers could explore the taut stomach hidden there, the muscles clenching as his fingertips brushed over his abs. He slowly slid his hands upwards, learning the firm plains of Riley's chest before flicking his thumb across his boyfriend's hardened nipple.

Riley made a startled noise at the back of his throat and pulled his mouth way from Zane's, breaking the kiss and pressing their foreheads together. "What're you doin'?" he panted, his eyes wide with apprehension.

Zane frowned and pulled back a little so their foreheads were no longer touching. Had he done something wrong? "I was just—" He sighed with disappointment, shaking his head and pulling his hands out from underneath the fabric of Riley's t-shirt. "Sorry. Is there an 'above the clothes only' rule?"

"Hey!" Riley grabbed Zane's retreating hands by the wrists, the angle at which they were sitting causing him to have to look up to meet Zane's eyes. It was a strange perspective, different than he was used to. "I didn't say that. You just surprised me, is all."

Zane smiled softly, pulling his wrists from Riley's grasp and setting them on the larger boy's shoulders. "Should I have asked first?" he asked almost jokingly, the slightest hint of a laugh easing the tension that had been slowly climbing between them.

"No, you don't have to do that," Riley said, a blush spreading across his cheeks as he looked away. "I just... have no idea what I'm doing here, and—"

"Hey," Zane cut him off, his hands moving to cup Riley's chin securely, tilting it back up to look at him. "You think I'm some kind of Casanova or something? I'm not exactly well-versed in this stuff either, you know."

He laughed that light, tinkering laugh that was so utterly _Zane_ it made Riley grin without a second thought. "Really?"

"We'll figure this stuff out together, Riley, I promise." He leaned down to capture Riley's lips softly, the urgency put aside for tenderness. Zane pulled back slowly and broke the kiss, watching Riley's eyes reopen and stare up at him, his lips parted slightly. "And if you _ever_ feel uncomfortable, we can stop, okay? Because I would _never_ pressure you into something that you weren't ready f—"

He was cut off when Riley kissed him again, stopping him midsentence. Riley's hands meandered their way down Zane's back and then tucked themselves under his shirt, caressing the soft skin at his hips before pulling him closer, fitting him more securely in his lap.

Riley kissed along Zane's jaw, following the line until he reached the curve of his ear. He pressed a kiss just below it, exhaling on the moist skin.

"I trust you, Zane," he whispered, pleased at the way Zane shivered slightly against him as he said his name.

He pulled away again, against the noise of protest Zane made, and curled his fingers under the hem of his shirt. He took a deep breath and pulled it over his head, dropping it over the arm of the couch onto the floor. It wasn't like Zane hadn't seen him shirtless before; after all, they _did _share a locker room at school for football practice.

Zane stared at the view breathlessly, smirking as he took in every magnificent detail. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, this was way different than seeing him in the locker room, since he always had to avert his eyes when the other guys changed, lest they think he was perving on them and up the ante on their homophobic behaviour. Riley flushed a little under the scrutiny, reaching up to wrap his hand around the back of Zane's neck and pulling him into another intimate kiss as a distraction.

As their tongues battled for dominance, Zane's hands wandered down Riley's chest again, this time more surely. Riley didn't pull back when Zane once again experimentally pinched his nipple, instead growling a little into the kiss and skimming his hands up the back of Zane's t-shirt to rest on his bare shoulder blades.

Zane grabbed the bottom of his own shirt and pulled it over his head, only stopping the kiss momentarily to do so. He pressed against his lips against boyfriend's rougher ones again, his heart racing under Riley's palm as the older teen explored the newly exposed skin.

Their make-out session progressed little further on the couch, because when Zane attached his lips to the skin at the apex of Riley's neck and shoulder, Riley did something bold. He moved his hips up to grind against the back of Zane's legs and his butt, clearly demonstrating how turned on he was.

"How about we move this somewhere more private?" Zane panted as he pulled away from the newly-formed hickey on Riley's neck. He licked the shell of Riley's ear to emphasise his point.

"Huh?" Riley barely articulated, his hands stopping the repetitive circular patterns he had been pressing into Zane's lower back. Zane groaned silently and pulled back to stare into Riley's confused face with a smirk. He was so adorable when he was flustered.

"Your _bedroom_, Riles."

Riley's eyes lit up with recognition, his big smile returning. "Right," he agreed, "Of course."

Zane squeaked in surprise and had to throw his arms around Riley's neck and his legs around Riley's waist to avoid falling when he was unexpectedly hoisted into the air; Riley had both arms tucked under Zane's thighs as he scooped him up from off his lap and carried him in the direction of the stairs. Zane really wasn't all that heavy— the kicker is usually the smallest guy on the field, anyway— but Riley made a show of grunting every few steps up the stairs as if it took more effort than it actually did. Asserting his masculinity, as it was.

Riley pulled open the door to his bedroom with one hand while Zane held on for dear life, unconsciously tightening his leg's grip around his boyfriend's waist. He was deposited on Riley's bed unceremoniously, bouncing a little on the soft mattress as Riley climbed on top of him, holding himself up on his forearms and looked down at the flushed face of his boyfriend, his strong chest heaving slightly as he panted.

"Hi," Riley said cheekily, a wide grin spreading across his round face. He leaned down to nuzzle Zane's neck and push their bodies flush together, careful not to drop his full weight on the smaller teen.

Zane groaned, bucking his hips a little against Riley's thigh as he recaptured the skin at Riley's throat between his teeth, darkening the mark that was already bruising into a memorable hickey. He pulled away and kissed the bruise gently, and then blew a cool breath over it to sooth the tortured red skin. He kissed his way across Riley's shoulder and then over his collar bone, making sure to leave a mark there, too.

He looked up at Riley with lust-filled eyes, peering up through dark lashes as Riley watched him, fascinated. He smirked from the corner of his mouth and then descended upon a nipple, giving it a quick suck before grazing his teeth across it. Riley shivered and closed his eyes as he blew a breath over the tight pink bud, and kept his eyes closed as Zane repeated his actions on the other.

"_Zane,_" Riley whined, his voice a needy whisper. He pulled Zane's face away from his chest and up to meet his lips in another mind-blowing kiss, one of his hand reaching down to fumble at the button of his boyfriend's skinny jeans. How Zane ever managed to get into those things still amazed and confused him; they looked like they had been painted on, and now they were clearly showing the bulge of his arousal, trapped within the skin-tight denim.

Zane had to help him with the button, reaching between their sweaty bodies to flick it open like Riley had been unable to. Riley slowly pulled down the zipper, sitting up on his knees so he could help pull the impossibly tight pants away from Zane's lower half. When Riley's hands yanked the jeans from Zane's ankles, he stopped momentarily to carefully remove both of his socks, tucking the top of one into the other before dropping them to join Zane's pants on the floor.

A chuckle escaped Zane's throat— he couldn't help it, Riley's actions just too cute to overlook. "Making sure I don't lose a sock?" he asked, watching as Riley blushed increasingly darker, biting his lip.

"I just thought—"

"Shh, it's cute," Zane told him, reaching out for Riley's hand and entwining their fingers together. Riley grinned and gave Zane's hand a tight squeeze before letting go of it, backing up to stand beside the bed and hesitantly undoing and dropping his own jeans to the floor. He pulled off his socks and did the same thing he had with Zane's, and Zane laughed again as he sat up and grabbed Riley by the hands, pulling him forward so they could smash their lips together once more.

Riley pulled his body from shoulder to pelvis flush to Zane's again, the thin fabric of their boxers the only thing separating their erections as he ground their hips together. Zane groaned, latching his fingers around Riley's substantial biceps as Riley repeated the motion, rocking their hips together as he trailed a hand down Zane's leg from hip to knee, leaving a trail of goosebumps in its wake. He hitched Zane's knee over his hip, leaning down to trail a row of kisses over his boyfriend's collar bone and down to his navel.

"Riley?"

Riley stopped his descent at Zane's breathless question, looking into his boyfriend's face carefully. Zane smirked, sitting up a little to press his chest flush to Riley's trying to stop himself from being nervous as he dragged his teeth across Riley's earlobe with simultaneously trailing a hand down his abdomen and slipping his fingers beneath the elastic of Riley's underwear. He gently caressed the base of Riley's cock, enjoying the way Riley groaned and shuddered at the contact.

He moved his hand away, and Riley groaned again, only to gasp as Zane quickly tugged his underwear downward, the fabric pooling around his feet.

His hand was back on Riley's cock, giving it a gentle squeeze as he whispered, "D'you want to fuck me?" into Riley's ear, trying to sound coy and sultry while really, his heart was thudding so hard against his chest with nerves that he thought it might break through the bone and escape.

Riley froze, his grip on Zane's hips tightening a little and his breath hitching in his throat. Zane stopped moving a half-second later, a cold hand gripping his heart as he pulled away from Riley's neck to look at his face. His lips were parted, his eyes hazy with lust, his hair a messy mop of curls that fell into his eyes. He cast his gaze downward when Zane tried to look him in the eyes, avoiding eye contact and leaving the question unanswered.

"If you don't want to, that's okay," Zane quickly reassured him, his face flushing hot with embarrassment at even suggesting it, for having rushed things in the heat of the moment. "I just thought—"

"Zane," Riley cut him off, his voice quiet but serious, "I would _love_ to make love to you." Zane blinked in surprise as Riley finally made eye contact, his gaze weary and nervous. "I just don't want to mess it up, or for you to be disappointed..." Riley looked away again, a blush spreading across his cheeks.

"You won't mess it up, okay?" Zane reassured him quickly, grabbing him by the jaw with both hands and forcing him to turn and catch his eye. "Everything will be fine as long as we trust each other, and can laugh about it when we make mistakes. It's going to be awkward, and it might not happen like either of us planned, but it'll be perfect anyways."

"But what if I hurt you? Or if I'm really horrible and only last two minutes? Or if I can't get you off?" He was blushing furiously, something Zane found endearing at he leaned forward and stopped the stream of questions spewing from Riley's mouth with a gentle kiss.

"I'll talk you through it, if that would make you more comfortable?"

Riley nodded quickly, biting down on his lip. He sighed, nodding. "Okay," he said quietly, his fingers toying with the elastic at the edge of Zane's boxers.

Zane lifted his hips a little, and Riley took the hint and slowly pulled them off, watching as each inch of new skin was deliberately exposed. After they too joined the mess on Riley's floor, Zane scooted backwards to make room for his boyfriend, who carefully climbed over him, still hesitating. Zane smiled encouragingly, and Riley gradually ran his hand down between their bodies, his fingers closing around the base of his boyfriend's dick.

He had no idea what Zane liked, of course, but he knew what he liked, and mirrored that. He gripped firmly at the base and ran his hand along Zane's length, thumbing the head of his cock on each stroke. Whether it was his preferred method of jerking off or not, Riley figured it was working, if the drops of wetness that slipped from his slit were any indication.

He twisted his wrist on an upstroke, but quickly released his grip when Zane made a high-pitched noise at the back of his throat. He paused again, watching Zane's face intently, trying to determine if he'd somehow hurt his boyfriend.

"Did I do something wrong?" he asked anxiously, his eyes wide with apprehension.

Zane laughed, reaching up to tangle a hand in Riley's unruly curls. He lifted his hips to meet Riley's, grinding their erections together briefly before drawing away. "Does it feel like you're doing something wrong?"

Riley groaned and shook his head, reaching down to more confidently stroke at Zane's cock. Zane mirrored his actions, taking Riley's erection in his hand gently moving his hand but letting Riley lead while he got accustomed to dealing with another dude's dick. The silence lasted for a couple of minutes; the only sounds the rasping of hands on each other's arousals and tiny grunts and moans.

Then, "Okay," Riley said quietly, slowing his hand down. "I know there's lube involved, and stretching, and that there's a prostate somewhere up in… _there_." He waved vaguely at Zane's abdomen with his other hand, and Zane couldn't help but grin at him again. There were times when Riley was adorable beyond comparison, and this was just one of those times.

"I just don't know the specifics, and I feel stupid," he continued, an odd look of determination crossing his strong features. "It's like being sent out on the football field and knowing the names of the plays, but not knowing how to run them."

He sighed, and Zane was just about to tell him he shouldn't feel stupid when he suddenly stilled his hand completely and pulled away, getting off the bed and crossing the room. Zane had a nice view of his ass from where he lay sprawled across the bed, and he watched in slight amusement as Riley opened his sock drawer and riffled around in it.

"Riley," Zane said after a moment, his brow furrowing a little in confusion. But then Riley found what he was looking for and came back to the bed with a triumphant smile. His smile faltered when he saw Zane staring at the tube of lubricant he had fished from his underwear drawer.

"I wasn't assuming anything would happen," he explained quickly, dropping the tube onto the bed beside his boyfriend and pulling Zane to his chest. "I just was thinking over the summer that it would be a good idea to be prepared if anything ever did happen, and—"

He was cut off with a kiss, his babbling falling short and his tongue explored the warm cavern of Zane's mouth, his worry ebbing from his mind. After minutes of mindless kissing to put Riley at ease again, Zane pulled his mouth away and ran his fingers slowly down Riley's flushed cheek.

"You planning on using that lube anytime soon?" he teased breathlessly, watching as Riley quickly reached for the lubricant. Grabbing it, he flipped the lid open, but then stopped again, staring uneasily at the bottle. Zane gave a snort of amusement. Riley frowned, biting his lip and looking away again.

"I'm sorry," Riley confessed, "I'm just really afraid of hurting you."

"Hey," Zane said, getting his boyfriend's attention by gently grabbing his wrist, "This is the part that I know." He smiled that signature smirk that always had Riley's lighting up, and it hadn't lost its magic yet. "How about I take over the lubing part and you pick it up from there?"

Zane took the bottle from him and squeezed a healthy dollop out onto his finger. Riley moved off of him so he could draw his legs up and reach between them. He smeared the lube over his puckered entrance and spread it around, massaging it in rhythmically, relaxing his body as he did so.

Riley watched, wide-eyed and intent. Normally Zane have been embarrassed to put on such a show, even if he was alone, but Riley's breath sped up and his hand absently began stroking his own prick as he watched, and watching Riley watch him preparing himself was one of the most erotic things Zane could imagine— and he had imagined a hell of a lot of erotic things concerning Riley Stavros.

He sank his index finger in to the second knuckle, and Riley gave a hungry growl. Shivering at the sound, Zane smiled up at him. "Want to help now?" Zane asked coyly.

Riley sent him a smouldering look and nodded, and Zane took one of his hands and pulled it closer. He pressed their index fingers together and guided their entry inside of him. Zane gave a low moan and thrust up against the friction, suddenly feeling something cold and slick added to the mix. It didn't take a genius that Riley had caught on and had squeezed out more lube.

"See?" Zane panted, "You've already got this figured out."

A few thrusts later, Zane pulled his finger out, immediately winding his hands in Riley's bed sheets. Riley hesitated for a split second, then began to explore on his own, moving his finger indolently through the ring of tight muscle.

"Use a second finger," Zane groaned, grinding his hips down. Carefully, after drizzling even more lube, he inserted a second finger and pushed. Zane shuddered and gasped, his eyes slamming shut. "G-good. Now, spread them apart… stretch me."

Riley followed his instructions immediately and precisely, leaving Zane whining and clenching the sheets tightly. He grinned as he scissored his fingers again, watching his partner come undone before his eyes.

"Oh, God yes," Zane whimpered, arching his back a little and thrusting down onto Riley's fingers. "You can... add another now."

"Another?" He sounded skeptical.

"_Yes._"

"Are you sure you can—?"

Zane laughed breathlessly at Riley's concern, nodding his head almost frantically, the quick motion unsettling his stomach a little, since it was already twisting from both his nerves and his arousal. "I'm ready. Just use more lube."

Lubricant practically flowed over Riley's fingers and down Zane's ass like a river as he added a substantial amount from the bottle, carefully adding a third finger as instructed. He moved them at a steady pace, increasing the speed just a little when he felt the muscle relaxing against the intruders. After a few minutes of listening to Zane pant like a bitch in heat, Riley slowed his movements.

"So, um… how do I find this prostate thing again?" he asked, biting his lip.

"You... you crook your fingers up." He adjusted his hand inside Zane's tight hole, making him squirm helplessly. He then bent his fingers as directed and paused. "Now feel for a bump. Further in. It should be abou— oh _fuck_!"

Riley paused, unsure if Zane's exclamation was a good sign or not. "Are you okay? Should I stop?"

"If you stop now, _so help me God_, Riley, I will _murder _you," Zane whined, bucking his hips against Riley's stilled fingers.

"Okay, okay." Riley quickly began thrusting his fingers again. "So should I—?"

"Just keep rubbing right there. Harder!" Zane ordered, becoming a little bossy in his desperateness.

Riley quickly complied. Through half-closed eyes, Zane could see Riley watching him writhe on his hand. His own erection lay heavy and forgotten on his leg as he focused on bringing Zane off. After a moment he licked his lips, his free hand drifting across Zane's hip.

"Can I touch you, too? Touch your... cock?" he asked uncertainly.

"Of course you can touch me," Zane groaned his reply, a drop of sweat falling from his brow into his ear as he arched his back up. His breath exploded from his lungs as he cried out. Riley's strong hand was wrapped around his cock and he was pretty sure he could die happy. Riley's brows drew together as he concentrated on wringing every moan he could from Zane's throat.

Riley started to experiment. He tried thrusting his fingers in and out; on every down stroke, bumping into the small nub he'd found. When the constant kneading slowed, the tingling electric feeling dimmed and Zane's hips dropped a centimeter or two. He noted that and quickly drove his fingers back inside and began the rubbing again. Zane's back arched and his hips shot back up, and Riley grinned, obviously pleased with himself.

After one particularly hard thrust against his prostate, Zane moaned a strangled, "_Please,_" causing Riley to slow his movements once more.

"Please what, Zane? I'll do anything you want, babe. You just got to tell me," Riley countered, dropping his head down to place a kiss on the soft skin of Zane's inner thigh.

"Please... fuck me," Zane said slowly, deliberately, watching Riley's lips part a little.

"You sure you're ready?" he asked, looking down at his fingers with that skeptical look on his face again.

"I'm sure, Riley."

Riley took a deep breath. "Yeah. Okay." He slowly pulled his fingers out and Zane closed his eyes, almost wanting to cry at the empty ache their loss left behind. "Er... turn over?" Zane's eyes shot open again, and he quickly shook his head.

"No. I want to see you."

He made a sound of distress at Zane's refusal. "But anything I've read on the subject said it will be easier if you... y'know... go on your hands and knees? I don't want to hurt you, like, at _all_."

"You won't," Zane insisted, but Riley looked like he wasn't buying it. "If you're worried, I could... be on top, and you could lie on your back."

Riley frowned. "Ride me, you mean?"

Zane nodded. "Yeah. Best of both worlds?"

Riley gazed at Zane searchingly for a second or two, and then he smiled warmly and gave a quick nod. He rolled them, putting Zane on top, and he straddled Riley's waist. He snapped open the bottle again and put a handful directly onto his cock, sucking in a breath as the cold gel slid over the head of his throbbing cock. He wrapped his hand around the base of his cock and held it steady for Zane as he steadied himself above, pressing their foreheads together.

"Ready?"

Zane nodded. A low, masculine moan escaped his lips as he pressed his slicked opening against Riley's hard length. He sank down an inch or so and watched in pleasure as needy hunger crept over his lover's face. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he relaxed his muscles. Then, he dropped. It was impossible to tell who cried out first, but as Zane impaled himself on Riley's cock, he had a fleeting thought that even their screams were harmonious, their simultaneous moans of pleasure like music in the stilled air. Riley's hands flew to Zane's hips as his back arched and he thrust deeper inside, a whine escaping from the back of his throat.

"Oh, _God_," he groaned out through clenched teeth. "You're so tight, so warm."

Zane felt the world swim dizzily around him and he feared for a second that he might pass out from the sheer greatness of it. He reveled in the full, complete feeling having Riley inside him gave him. It took a moment for him to adjust, but then he braced his hands on Riley's muscled chest and drew up off him. Riley moaned like a dying animal and tried desperately to follow, bucking his hips up impulsively.

Zane felt sexually powerful in a way he never had before. He had been a submissive in his other relationships, and he felt an odd surge of pride at being in control of his encounter. Every moan, every curse, every drop of sweat that Riley exuded, _he_ had caused that. Riley was writhing beneath him in a lust-filled haze… because of _him_. Zane reached up and gently tugged his nipple, grinning when Riley spasmed and nearly bucked him off. He dropped down again, sheathing Riley's cock inside him once more, giving a tiny twist of his hips as he bottomed out.

Riley let out a string of nonsense words, the strange syllables sounding delightfully foreign as he groaned them in a fit of ecstasy. Zane had a feeling he was talking in Greek again, like he sometimes did when he lost control of his emotions. Only this time, instead of punching someone out while spitting a line of Greek curses, he was whimpering the words in a moment of utter bliss.

"You like that?" Zane practically purred, grinning like a fool. Who knew he could _purr_ for God's Sake!

"Oh, God, _yes_!" Riley cried out, falling back into English as he tightened his grip on Zane's hips. And that cry was just the first of many.

Zane rode Riley slowly. He was so unbelievably turned on by what he was doing to Riley, his own excitement and pleasure took a back seat. As Riley's breath began to rasp through his lungs and his whole body shivered beneath Zane, he sped up. Using a hand on Riley's chest for leverage, he arched himself back a little so that on every other stroke he hit his prostate and saw stars flash before his eyes.

There was a moment when Zane wondered who this new, confident, _sexy _Zane was. Because it _couldn't _be the Zane who was terrified of being played earlier, who had practically begged for things to be different this time around, who had doubted Riley's ability to keep his promise that it would be. That Zane wouldn't have had the balls to lean down and lick a path up Riley's chest, or suck on the bruise into the hollow of Riley's throat. That Zane wouldn't have pulled one of Riley's hands from his hip and closed it around his leaking erection. That Zane wouldn't have experimented with squeezing and twisting and teasing until Riley's lashes shone wetly, and he was panting as though he'd run a marathon.

He didn't know who this new Zane was, but he was sure as fuck keeping him around; because having Riley underneath him like this, _aching_ for him, was one experience he was determined to repeat. As many times as Riley would let him— oh, please let him. Please, please, please. He heard the words and thought for a moment that he had said something out loud while he had let his mind wander. A glance at Riley told me differently.

His head was thrashing back and forth, his face scrunched up in pleasure. "_Please_, Zane," he whispered, hoarsely. And Zane could hardly refuse. Of course, it helped that he was ready to explode as well. He felt that signaling tingle beginning in my spine, and it spread out like wildfire. Sound faded and his eyes fell shut. Zane threw his head back and ground down harder onto Riley's cock, trying to melt their bodies together so he could live in that feeling forever.

It wasn't long before Zane felt Riley's muscles tensing and he gave a hoarse cry as his back arched and his cock jerked again and again inside him. Zane followed him over the edge almost immediately. Every muscle in his body tightened and the fire began pulsing through him in waves. As the fire dissipated, the shivers set in. He could feel the air drying the sweat all over his body, raising prickles in its wake as he slumped bonelessly onto Riley's strong chest.

Riley had collapsed back onto the bed, gasping for breath. He closed his arms around Zane, pulling him further into his heaving chest and holding him tightly. His spent cock slipped out of him, bringing a warm, sticky dribble that ran down both of their thighs, but they were both too exhausted to care. Riley turned them sideways slightly, settling Zane in the crook of his arms and throwing a leg over his hip. He pulled him in, ignoring the sweat and the wetness of Zane's cum all over both of their stomachs.

They stayed in that position for a few minutes, their heartbeats slowing and their breathing falling into sync with each other's. Zane felt safe, protected, warm… _loved_. He couldn't see Riley's face, but the soft kiss that was laid on his forehead moments later confirmed his suspicion that Riley felt the same way. At least, he sure _hoped _so.

"Riles?" Zane asked softly, his voice sounding meek now that all was said and done. A big part of him was already missing the persona he had created of himself while he was riding Riley, the Zane that had everything under control and everything going for him.

"Mm-hmm?" Riley's voice, on the other hand, sounded both tired and content.

That niggling of doubt Zane had been feeling earlier, that little piece of him that screamed about falling into old patterns, returned in full force, causing him to shiver almost violently.

"Zane, you okay?" The shiver seemed to have woken Riley up some, because concern had dropped his voice an octave, and he wrapped his arms a little tighter around Zane's torso.

He considered the question seriously. _Was_ he okay? Zane honestly wasn't sure if he was or not. Being dumped when school started because of football and Riley's reputation at school had been a devastating blow for him, and if he was being honest, it broke his heart. And yet, after all that, he had taken Riley back without _really_ considering the consequences. He had given his adorable puppy-like boyfriend his barely-healing heart again on a silver platter, and he was just waiting for it to be broken again, smashed into tiny shards until half the pieces had been lost forever between the couch cushions. Was he really that self-destructive? No. He was just too in love to let go.

"Zane?"

"I'm okay." The words sounded hallow even to his own ears, fake words with a faker meaning. "What time is it?"

Riley rolled over clumsily, his hand snatching his alarm clock from his bedside table and holding it close to his face as he stared at it blearily. "Almost eleven thirty."

Zane groaned and rubbed his hands over his face, knowing his parents would kill him for breaking curfew. At least that would be something else to focus on, though, to block out the dull throbbing in both his heart and his ass. After quickly using the already-stained bed sheet to clean up the mess on his stomach, Zane sat up and bent down to retrieve his boxers from the pile of discarded clothes on the floor, wincing as he did so. Riley watched him warily, a frown knotting his eyebrows together in the middle.

Zane felt a large hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Riley giving him that worried-puppy stare, his blue eyes wide with concern. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

He shook his head no, though there was a part of him— _the vindictive part of him_— that wanted to scream that _yes, yes he did_. Though there was the tiniest twinge of physical pain caused by their actions that evening as he pulled his boxers over his thin hips, the thing that _still_ hurt the most was Riley's homophobic remarks in the locker room, his insistence that he wasn't who he was, his inability to express what he was feeling in a good, natural way. Riley _had_ hurt him. Just not tonight.

"I have to go home," Zane explained weakly as he pulled on his jeans, wincing again as he pulled them over his behind. There were little bruises developing on the flesh just above his jean line, Zane noted; Riley really had left his fingerprints all over him, hadn't he?

"Do you _have_ too?" Riley asked quietly. He helpfully offered Zane his bundled socks after he had pulled on his own underwear, and Zane couldn't help but chuckle over that again. Riley was surprising in so many ways, and the sock thing was just another object in that box. It was cute, a sign that the real Riley _definitely _wasn't football-Riley.

"Curfew," Zane said as an explanation, refusing to look Riley in the eyes as he looked around for his shirt. He was just about to give up and ask to borrow one when he felt Riley's hand on his arm, insistently pulling him back towards the bed.

As if reading his thoughts, Riley pulled him into a rough hug, his hands finding their place on Zane's hips to pull him closer. "I promised, Zane. I'm not going to be an idiot again. Things _will_ be different this time."

Zane smiled a little at the sincerity in Riley's voice, closing his eyes and trying to will himself to believe the words were true. "I know," he said, because things _were_ going to be different— though whether the changes would be for the better or not were yet to be determined.

"Your shirt is downstairs," Riley reminded him, pressing a kiss to Zane's temple. "We left them by the couch." Zane nodded, not saying a word as he pulled away and crossed Riley's room, opening the door."Zane?"

He turned at the sound of his name, looking back at Riley, who was standing next to his bed in his plaid boxer shorts, and his hair even messier than normal, if that was possible. He wanted to laugh at the sight, the big footballer standing there looking vulnerable and lovable, his lower lip being gnawed at with vigour.

"I..." _Love you._ Riley couldn't say the words, as much as he wanted to, as much as he _needed_ to. But Zane looking at him expectantly, so he sighed and settled for, "I'll see you tomorrow at school, right?"

Zane smiled a little, nodding. "Yeah, you will."

He turned and left, his footsteps on the staircase echoing around Riley's room like it was haunted. Riley sighed again, flopping down onto his admittedly soiled sheets without a care. He groaned, mentally acknowledging the unconvinced look in Zane's eyes when he said everything would be different, that he'd be better. Zane didn't trust him not to make those mistakes again.

He was going to have to change that.

* * *

The next morning, after putting his dirty sheets in the laundry (wouldn't it be a lovely surprise for his mother to find _those_ unclean in the basket?) Riley sought about planning how he would make up for his horrible behaviour to his boyfriend. He needed a big gesture, something he could do after football season ended that said, "I'm serious about our relationship." He didn't want Zane to think that the whole thing was about sex, because while it had been amazing, it didn't change how he felt about Zane. He _loved _Zane.

By the time it was time to leave for school, he still had no ideas. He packed up his things and set off on the short walk anyway, hoping something would just come to him. If that didn't work, there was always Anya— she was always good for advice on these kinds of things.

He happened to catch Zane while he was walking in, and he was quick to notice that the boy was still walking straight; he must be good at hiding a limp, Riley figured, because there was _no way_ he wasn't sore from last night. He held the door open gallantly for his boyfriend, and Zane smiled at him as they entered the school. It was a shy smile, but it was a start.

"I had a great time last night," he admitted, mentally kicking himself at how stupid that sounded. He shook his head a little to cover the light blush spreading across his cheeks. But Zane just chuckled, nodding slightly.

"Me too." They stopped by the stairs, and Riley shoved his hands in his pockets, waiting for Zane to say something else so he wouldn't have to put his foot in his mouth again to jumpstart the conversation. "Hope there's a sequel?" Is what Zane decided on, and Riley grinned.

"Count on it," he said gratefully, because obviously he hadn't screwed up too royally if Zane was asking for a repeat of the previous night. Zane smiled back and playfully hit him on the arm, nodding towards the stairs; he needed to go to his locker.

Anya was heading toward them, and Riley let out a tiny breath of relief. He wouldn't have to go looking for her to ask for her advice. He was having good luck, so far. He raised his eyebrows at Anya in a silent greeting as she walked up to him, his smile growing wider.

"Hi?" she said, noting his grin and the friendly exchange that had just happened between him and Zane. "Looks like your date with Zane went well."

"I actually managed not to screw it up," Riley said happily, the fact that he hadn't screwed it up (yet) still setting in.

"So, when's the big coming out party?"

"Ix-nay on the oming-cay out-ay," he said in a hushed voice, his eyes quickly scanning the room for anyone important that could have heard her say that. While he wanted to make a grand gesture, accidently being outed beforehand would _not _be the best way to do it. Anya rolled her eyes and started to walk with him back the other way into the lobby.

"Why are you being so secretive? You bought a date with Zane at the Bachelor Auction. Everyone's already speculating."

"Well, let them," Riley replied confidently, "I won't confirm or deny until after football season."

Anya shrugged, her brow furrowing a little in confusion. "Why wait?"

"'Cause I want to _win_," he said loudly, looking over at her. It was obvious to no one except him, it seemed, that the team would shun him and kick him off if they knew. Anya frowned, and he knew he would have to explain more. "If I come out, there'll be big drama, the team will lose focus... and we'll lose."

"So when the season's over...?"

"It'll be Pride Day," he joked, then bit his lip, turning more serious. "But I need to go big so Zane knows it's for real." He happened to glance over Anya's shoulder at the right moment, the bright orange _Vote for Degrassi Dance King & Queen_ poster catching his eye. He nodded slowly as Anya began to talk again, a plan already forming in his mind.

"Well," Anya said, noticing his attention shift and looking at the poster herself, "Nothing says _real_ like being crowned _King and King_."

Riley nodded. "That's big," he agreed, eyeing the stand set up beneath the poster a little apprehensively. "And Zane deserves it."

Anya puckered her lips a little, trying to discern that in-love sigh in his voice. It was different than it had been yesterday, more pronounced. Her eyes widened as she examined his lopsided grin and far-away expression, remembering what she had caught of the tail end of their conversation.

"Oh my God!" she squealed excitedly, and Riley's focus shattered. He looked down at her apprehensively, frowning. She grabbed his arm and pulled him off to the side, away from anyone who could overhear. "You two had sex!" she whispered none-too-quietly, her eyes wide and her smile bright.

Riley blushed bright red and he ran a hand through his unruly curls while looking around, trying to figure out of anyone had noticed anything wrong. Everyone went about their business as though nothing had occurred. "Not so loud," he warned her, lowering his own voice to a whisper.

She nodded, biting down on her lip. "So you _did_?"

Riley glanced around once more before leaning in closer to her ear and muttering, "Yeah. But if you tell Zane I told you, I'll kill you in your sleep." Anya clapped her hands together quickly, rocking back on her heels a little in an imitation of jumping up and down.

"What happened? Was it romantic? Did you enjoy yourself? What am I saying? Of course you did!"

"Geez, Anya, I didn't go all crazy on you when you told me about you and Sav," Riley groaned, the blush across his cheeks growing darker with every word she said.

"Well, now I know that's because hetero sex squicks you out," Anya replied dryly, her smile still huge. The warning bell rang, and she groaned. "Go sign you and Zane up," she demanded, pointing towards the ballot box as she backed away. "I want details at lunch!"

Rubbing a hand across his face to try and get rid of the burning redness, he walked quickly to the ballot box and grabbed a slip. A part of him— _football-Riley's part_— started screaming in his brain at how he was signing his death warrant as he sloppily wrote his own name on the _King _line of the nomination ballot. Sighing, he crossed out _Queen_ and wrote _King_ above it, adding Zane's name to the line and handing it to the girl manning the box. She glanced at it, and then did a double take, looking up at him with raised eyebrows.

"You got a _problem_ with that?" he asked, trying not to sound menacing though her surprised expression made his blood boil a little. He wouldn't ever hit a girl, no matter how homophobic they were being. But the girl just shook her head, the shock turning slowly into a smile as it crossed her face.

"I'll make sure to enter it myself," she said happily. She paused, and then tucked the ballot into the slit in the box. "Congratulations."

He smiled a little and nodded, hunching his shoulders as he fast-walked to the library. He was glad he had a first-period study-period, because no one would notice his lateness. He sighed as he sat down at a table, and his hands shook as he took out his math homework that was due next period. This move was either going to get him killed, or be the most romantic thing in the world and have Zane falling into his open arms. He hoped it was the latter, because he loved Zane and wanted to prove it to him.

Things were going to be different. They already were.

* * *

_If you got this far, you might as well write me a nice long review, right? :D_


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